Kyle Beachy, skateboarding’s man of words suggested everyone write 300 words about the new Bronze video. I could very easily write 900 more but here it is. (go buy The Most Fun Thing)
You either hate the Bronze videos or love them. There is no middle ground. They either spark a joy and hopefulness that the next generation is going to be fine or they piss you off. They are disrespectful like a teenager on the internet and fully aware of what they are doing. This irreverence is what makes Bronze so special.
The first thing any hater mentions is the little non-skating clips used. From video game references to weird vaporwave clips from the stone age of the internet, I’ve heard people bemoan these as unnecessary. These moments are like a little treasure hunt to discover what it is a reference to. When you get the reference it feels like an inside joke. This is so much better than clips of birds in super 8 as b-roll. There is a world happening alongside the skating that keeps my adhd, internet rotten brain interested.
The music also moves beyond the idea that a video needs a connected “vibe” or that each skater’s song should represent them. The music is all over the place and the transitions are neck breaking. It will go from NYC rap to a euro club banger to hardcore within the same part. The music choice is another inside joke that makes the Bronze cinematic universe feel deeper than just what is on screen.
I should probably mention the skating and not just the editing choices. It doesn’t feel like anyone set out to “film a Bronze part”, rather it is just a collection of skaters who are good at getting tricks. It feels completely devoid of pressure unlike how a Ty Evans production does. For all of the irreverence that goes into the editing, the skating stands up with the greatest of them and shows a deep respect for trick selection and spot choice.